condensed master

The Reluctant Agent
A Compelling Story of Espionage
into the shop to buy a pair of sandals, and casually ask where you could buy a
ceremonial dagger to use as a letter opener. They will want to go away and get
one or two samples to bring to you. Say no, you want to see the complete display
to choose from."
Blyth still continued. "If they make arrangements for the following day go along
with that, it gives them time to check you out. Give them all the information
necessary to convince them, and when you eventually view the whole collection
of stock, buy something, be enthusiastic about everything, and come away thrilled
with your purchase."
"How will you know where the cache is if I won't see you again?"
"Someone will keep tabs on you. Just go back to the ship, after the purchase."
He stopped and took a deep breath. "Do you have any queries?"
"No, I'll go tomorrow afternoon, that will give another three days for them to
contact me before the ship sails."
Blyth extended his hand. "I'd better be off, I've been here too long as it is. Best
of luck." Within seconds he had disappeared through the door.
Will suddenly felt very lonely. He was now completely on his own, with no one
to turn to for advice or assistance, travelling down a one-way street with no turning
back. Everything sounded easy, as before, but Will knew that it could backfire at
any time, once things got started.
The lounge had lost it's comfortable feeling so he got up from his seat and
walked out trying to expel his troubled thoughts. Finding himself in the main
entrance he hesitated at the bottom of the large marble staircase, the hotel's most
talked about feature, briefly watching people enroute to the floors above. Others
were standing in various places around the hall. There was no sign of Blyth, not
that Will expected him to be there. He stopped short as he passed through the
main door to the street.
Confronted with torrential rain, which was commonplace during the monsoon
period, and sometimes lasting for days, there was no point in waiting for it to stop.
Will started to walk back to the ship, and within a couple of minutes he was
completely saturated. Just like standing fully clothed under a warm shower Will
mused, as he dodged from side to side to avoid bumping into people on the
pavement.
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